Doing What You're Told
by Reign Of Avarice
Summary: Ashlynn was supposed to follow in her parents footsteps. She's just a little too headstrong. Draco Malfoy can't resist a challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: The amount of fan fictions that were Mary Sue fests angered me into writing something with a character that doesn't have every power on and off the books. Off we go… **

The sound of the grandfather clock was deafening. Its ticking was one among a chorus of other contraptions that cluttered the Headmaster's Office. The eleven year old girl sat stone still in the headmaster's office. The seriousness of her expression and rigidness of posture looked foreign on the face of one so young. She was tall for her age, still in the tomboy stage of her life. Her dark auburn hair was pulled back into a practical ponytail because her mother had refused to let her cut it short. Tick. Tock. Tick. Toc...Her she stared silently into the abyss.

"Would you like some toffee?" The headmaster asked casually. But the girl barley moved. Her hazel eyes swept over him blankly. "Child, this is not the end of the world." He said in a comforting tone. She glanced at him again and smothered the need to scream at him, hurt him, make him understand. "The Gryffindor house is nothing to be ashamed of." Her lips twitched to form a twisted grin. She opened her mouth to reply but footsteps echoing on the stairs effectively obliterated any comment she had in mind. The door opened and a man and a woman entered. The woman was obviously the more domineering of the two. It was easy to observe her stately walk and upturned chin in contrast to the slouching shoulders and skittish eyes of her husband.

"Albus, I assume you can guess the reason for our visit." She asked curtly, taking a seat in front of his desk. Her pitch black hair cascaded over her shoulders and her dark eyes were sharp and businesslike.

"Jeanne," Dumbledore paused, understanding quite well that Ashlynn Belisle's mother had not come to compromise but to force her decision on her daughter. "As I was trying to explain to Ashlynn here, the house of Gryffindor is perfectly respectable—"

Without apology she cut him off. "I don't care if you think it is respectable. Who do you think you're talking to? Some simple minded commoner? My family has been a part of the Slytherin house since this school began. It is a disgrace and I demand you transfer my daughter immediately. It is where she belongs."  
"The decision of the sorting hat is final. Your daughter is where she belongs. Not once in this school has a student's house been changed and I will not start now."

"Perhaps, I have failed to make myself clear…" The woman seethed, standing up and towering over Dumbledore who remained seated. "I am not asking you to change her house. I am telling you, she is my daughter I will have her where I see fit. Not fornicating with a group of blood traitors and muggleborns."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said, and calmly stood up to meet the woman's gaze. "I have not made _myself_ clear. The placement is final. You should be proud that your daughter was chosen to be in such an honorable house. She has potential to become an excellent witch in such a noble house. And now if you have nothing else to discuss with me; I must ask you to leave. I have arrangements to speak with our ground's keeper, Hagrid." With that he gestured towards the door. Jeanne Belisle with her husband at her heels exited the room without any sort of acknowledgement toward their daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

"May I leave?" Ashlynn asked after the footsteps heading down the stairs had long disappeared.

Dumbledore gave a sigh of sadness as he looked at the child.

"I assure you, you are not as alone as you think you are."

"May I leave?" she asked once again. It was funny; all she wanted was to be left alone. For the entire first week of school she had been the punch line of every practical joke. She was a target for both sides. Gryffindors disliked her because she came from a family notorious for practicing the Dark Arts and the Slytherins disliked her for her "courageous heart" as the sorting hat had put it. She did not care about courage though; she just wanted to drop off everyone's radar. Where was this courage going to get her, obviously it was not going to protect her, or win her any points with the other "courageous" people of the school. It had cost her her brother. A second year Slytherin who would not have his growing reputation tarnished by associating with his now blacklisted sister. She always knew that he found her annoying, but the two of them had a certain affection for each other that continued no matter how many of her toys he broke or how many times she gave him a black eye or tried to kill his pet spider.

"Ms. Belisle I hope you know my office door will always be open to you. If you have any problems do not hesitate to come to me or any of the other professors." Dumbledore said as he held the door open for the girl who quickly left without a word.

"She'll thank me some day…" Chuckled a musty old hat upon one of the shelves.

Dumbledore glanced up at the hat and shook his head.

"I noticed you didn't defend you decision when her parents appeared."

"Can you blame me?" The hat asked indignantly. "I do believe that woman could melt steel with that glare of hers."

Ashlynn silently made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. She was relived to get to her room without incident. She changed into an over sized tee shirt and was brushing her hair when she heard a knock on the door. Apprehensively she opened it. The chubby face of a blonde haired girl around her age smiled nervously at her.

"Um…Hi!" The girl said taking Ashlynn's hand and shaking it vigorously.

"Hello…" she said cautiously after her hand was released from the friendly but viselike handshake.

"My name is Ellie Belden!...Are you all alone up here?" She asked poking her head through the doorway to look around the room. Ashlynn had one of the top rooms in the tower where the girl's dorms were. It had a nice view but in her opinion it was a hassle climbing up all the stairs. She had tried to get a room closer to the common room but no one had wanted her. "Mind if I bunk with you? The girls I was staying with kicked me out. My cat…well he sort of tried to eat one of their owls…but I promise that was a one time thing!" Ellie wasted no time and before Ashlynn had the chance to reply she stepped into the room and dragged her trunk to the foot of one of the unoccupied beds. She began a flurry of activity using various spells to arrange her part of the room. Hanging up posters and setting up her nightstand. Ashlynn watched with stunned confusion as the girl fussed around the room. "So what's your name?"  
"A-Ashlynn." She stuttered still trying to comprehend exactly what was going on and who this girl was.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Ashlynn." Ellie got a small smile in response. But this reply she found inadequate. Ellie marched over to her new roommate. "Look. I don't really have any friends here. And from the looks of it you don't either. So how about you and I become friends!"

Ashlynn looked at Ellie for a moment, assessing her.

"Promise your cat won't try to eat my owl?"  
"Cross my heart and hope to die!"  
"Then you have yourself a deal." Ashlynn said with a much larger and meaningful smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: READ THIS. Alright, so despite my lack of posting I have been working on this fic and developing Reilly who shall now be known as Ashlynn Belisle. Also don't be surprised if I change the title at some point. Tonight I'm going to try to include a bit of Draco in it. Writer's block is a bitch.**

By their second year Ashlynn, who was now commonly know as Ash and Ellie were neigh inseparable. They'd gained a new addition to their ragtag group. A dark skinned girl named Kara Fall. She was muggle born which, Ash purposely avoided telling her parents. The three girls became very close. Ash was fascinated by the muggle gadgets Kara had, and eager to listen to muggle music. By second year Ash was the proud owner of a CD player. The girls were friendly with several other students but mostly kept to themselves. It was not uncommon though, to see Ash with Harry Potter and his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Halfway through their second year there was an addition to their Ash's group. A Russian boy named Alexi Ivan. He was a dark haired boy with kind blue eyes. His introduction to Ash and Ellie was a memorable one…

"Hahah silly little first year…" A fourth year Slytherin cackled as he dangled Alexi's book bag over the abyss under the moving stair cases. Alexi tried in vain to reach for the bag. Another Slytherin shamelessly bulling the boy picked him up and dangled him over the ledge.

"Please stop!" Alexi cried with his heavy accent that both students made crude jeers at. Other students rushed by with their heads down, only hoping to not be picked out as another victim. Ash and Ellie were heading toward the Great Hall but when they heard the cries of the young boy. Ash stopped head in her tracks and watched with a look of utter disgust on her face.

"No, Ash…come on…" Ellie said pleading for her friend to avoid the situation. In"Hey you, stupid git, put him down." She shouted, marching over to the boys.

"Haha, piss off little girl." The Slytherin cackled as he threw the book bag across the hallway. "You don't want to get involved in big kid business."

"I said put him down." She said standing her ground as Ellie silently collected the book bag.

"And what if we don't?" He smirked taking a step forward. "Oh…I know who you are. Liam's little sister right?"  
"Unfortunalty." She said before kicking the approaching boy in the crotch. Whipping out her want she pointed it at the boy holding the first year and shouted_ Confundo._

"You little bitch." The first boy wheezed, falling to his knees.  
"You alright?" she asked walking over to the first year who was slowly sitting up. He gave a feeble nod but then his eyes widened in fear. Ash turned to see the boy she'd kicked slowly standing. "Run!" she said grabbing Alexi and booking it down the hallway with Ellie close behind.

When the reached the safety of the Great Hall they sat down among their fellow Gryffindor. Ash looked very proud of herself meanwhile Ellie just stared at in horror.

"Blimey what happened to you guys." Kara said looking back and fourth from Ash who was now laughing to Ellie who looked like she was going to faint.

"Our friend…" she turned towards the boy she had dragged through the hallways and realized she had no idea of his name.

"Alexi." He said filling in the blank while massaging his shoulder.

"Alex here ran into some Slytherins."  
"It's Alexi…" he muttered quietly  
"Ash you are out of your mind. When they find us they are going to kill us…" Ellie hissed smacking her friend over the head.

"Ow…geeze…I was being a good person." She said stubbornly with a grin.

"Are those them?" Kara asked nodding toward the door to the Great Hall where the two boys from the hallway had just appeared. Both looking like they were going to, and could, rip someone apart.

Ash grinned mischievously as the boy stormed down the length of the Great Hall. They strode over to the Gryfinndor's table. Several people yelled at the Slytherins but they ignored it and strode over to Ash.

"You!" growled the boy Ash had kicked, his wand almost touching the tip of her nose.

"Me?" Ash said, looking up innocently. Many close by at the table reached for their own wands. Ash was still somewhat of an outcast in her house but that didn't mean any self-respecting Gryffindor would let a Slytherin attack one of their own.

"Whoa, there Pucey. Why don't you leave the little girl alone?" Fred Weasley said, who was sitting nearby with George.

"Piss off Weasley." He shouted at them. Marcus Flint had made his way over to his teammates. The five boys proceeded to get into a shouting match which ended up being more about Quidditch than anything else. Ellie and Alexi sat wide eyed and frightened looking Ash who was watching the fight unfold with mild interest.

"I think now would be a good time to make ourselves scarce." She said, turning towards them with a smile. Quickly, but sure not to draw any attention towards herself, Ash, with Ellie and Alexi not far behind, slipped off the bench and disappeared into the growing crowd which was egging the fight on.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Alright so I didn't want to do this…but I'm messing with the plot just a bit… I'm having Ash be a beater, yes I know George and Fred are the Gryffindor beaters but, I'm using artistic license. Don't shoot me. I've figured out this takes place during the 5****th**** book as well. It's rather annoying that the best place to put the romantic stuff is in the later books but too much is going on…and it would be creepy to write romance for the first few books. Regardless, I'm shutting up now.**

Ash waited impatiently for her brother to grace her family with his presence. After a very long summer that Ash had spent the majority of quarrelling with her parents, it was finally time to go back to Hogwarts. The end of fourth year had been a hard one with the death of Cedric Diggory the atmosphere at the Belisle household was tense at best, but explosive most other times. Ash had long suspected her family in following Lord Voldemort but now she was positive that the sooner she got out of the house permanently, the better. The constant midnight raids the ministry was conducting did nothing to cheer her up. Eventually her brother came down the stairs. One of the house elves was struggling to pull his heavy trunk.

"For once your sister is actually on time and we're waiting around for you." Their father said tonelessly as they walked out to the black town car the family owned. There were no fire places at the train station and apparating with luggage was a hassle, so Ash had somehow convinced the family to invest in a car. She was the only one who didn't look at it like it was going to attack her. Liam was uneasy but mostly indifferent as he sat in the car but both her mother and father looked out of place and uneasy. A chauffeur put Liam's bag in the trunk where Ash's was already waiting. Ash and Liam both sat with their bird cages on their laps. Ash's owl, Calcifer, was a Mottled Owl. Liam's was a Great Horned Owl named Jasper. The car ride was long and filled with an awkward silence. Once they reached the train station everyone jumped out of the car. Ash quickly grabbed her trunk and a cart and rushed towards the entrance to platform 9 and ¾. Running through the not so solid wall she couldn't suppress a huge grin at seeing her fellow students and the Hogwarts Express. She headed toward it but was quickly stopped  
"Ashlynn." Before she could escape to the safety of the train, she heard the sharp voice of her mother. She turned to see her parents conversing with Lucius Malfoy…and standing beside him talking to her brother was Draco Malfoy. With a sigh she bit the inside of her lip and rejoined her family.

"My, you certainly have grown, Ashlynn." Lucius said with a smile that made her skin crawl but years of associating with the Malfoys had trained her well.

"How are you doing Mr. Malfoy?" she asked with a smile she could hear Draco scoffing at.

"Very well, thank you. I was just saying to your parents that it's a shame you and Draco never saw each other this summer."

Ash thanked the gods when she heard the whistle of the train, signaling that it was time to leave.

"Well nice seeing you again, Mr. Malfoy. Bye mother…father." She said receiving curt nods from all three. And with that she was free with a grin she rushed onto the train. She deposited her trunk in the back of the train and went in search of her friends. She ducked her head into a compartment only to find the face of Pansy Parkinson sneering back at her. She slammed the door shut and went to look else where when someone's arm blocked her path.

"Why _didn't_ we see each other over the summer, Belisle?" With a groan Ash met the gaze of Draco Malfoy.

"Don't you have better things to do Malfoy?" she asked, trying to move past him but he blocked her every attempt.

"Well, I thought I'd done all the girls in the school worth doing…but you certainly…filled out this summer didn't you." He wore a wicked grin and allowed his eyes to wander.

"Sod off." She said and attempted to shove past him, but he was far too strong.

"I was giving you a compliment. No need to get all upset." His hands were braced on either side of the passage way and he was towering over her. He felt a light tap on the shoulder and turned around to be face with a second year Ravenclaw. He gave the boy a withering glare which sent him running off. Draco turned to face Ashlynn again, only to see she heading in the other direction and already half way down the car.

"Oh I'm not anywhere _near_ finished with you, darling." He smirked as he quickly caught up with her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Belisle, it's rude to walk away from someone when they're talking to you." Draco said smirking and resting his hand on her shoulder. A gesture he instantly regretted.

"Sexual harassment tends to be illegal in most places. I was doing you a favor, Malfoy…Since you don't seem to have any self control." She said in monotone only glancing over her shoulder to speak to him. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his hand away quickly. Draco was used to arguments with Ash, they'd fought ever since they were little…but for the most part it had all been in good fun. Ever since the unfortunate day she'd been placed in Gryffindor there had been a lot more malice between them but icy tone of the girl he'd spent many days with as a child was something he was not familiar with.

"What's this?" Came a cheery voice from behind Draco.  
"Did you stun the Slytherin Princess speechless?" asked the exact same voice coming from another body. Draco spun to glare at the Weasley twins.

"I wonder what your parents will say when they heard about your association with a bunch of blood traitors." Draco sneered. Ash glanced at him with a look of boredom that infuriated him.

"Doesn't that whole blood traitor this, mudblood song and dance ever get old?" She asked before turning towards Fred and George and ignoring Draco completely.

"So how was your summer?" she asked with a smile as they walked off, leaving Draco fuming. He always got the last word…_Stupid woman. Why was I even wasting my time talking to her? _He thought as he stormed back to where Crabbe and Goyle were no doubt stuffing their faces.

"So why was Malfoy talking to you?" George asked as they walked through the train cart.

"If you find out let me know." Ash said with a snort. "I think since our parents are friends he sees it as a free pass to talk to me."

"You must feel so honored." Fred laughed. "Little prick… Just wait till you see what we have lined up for him and his crowd this year…" the boys exchanged knowing looks.

"Huh?" Ash looked at them with a furrowed brow.

"Oh, you'll see…" they said in unison before entering one of the private compartments where Lee Jordan and Gwen Watson, a 7th year Ravenclaw, were sitting. Ash blinked at the closed door. With a shrug she moved on to find her friends.

"You don't call, you don't write." She said with a dramatic sigh, and sat on the lap of a young man.

"Of course I don't. It's not like I didn't see you last week or anything." Alexi said with a resigned sigh and a shake of his head. His eyes were barely visible behind his straight black hair. Ash's parents had allowed her to spend a good amount of the summer at Alexi's house. She didn't want to be home and her parents had made it clear they didn't exactly want her around either. Alexi's parents, on the other hand, were pureblood but you never would have known it. They also had invited Kara who was a muggle born and Ellie who was halfblooded into their home. Ash had somehow failed to mention that Kara would be there when she asked her parents.

"What a horrible friend you are, well enough of that. Have you seen anyone else yet?" she asked.

"What the hell am I?!" said the third person in the compartment, Kara. Ash grinned at her.

"Psh, you don't count."

"Like hell I don't." Kara angrily crossed her arms over her chest and glared out the window.

"I think she's mad…" Ash said into Alex's ear, he once again just shook his head.

"I couldn't imagine why…" he chuckled.

"Must be the drugs..." Ash said taking a proper seat across from Alex.

"If anyone if doing drugs my money is on you." Kara snapped still glaring out the window.

Ellie soon joined them in their compartment. Out of all of the four Ellie had changed the most. While the other merely matured, Ellie had developed several sicknesses. She had regular visits to the hospital and had to take more potions that Ash wanted to count. She was still a bit on the chubby side, but the rosiness in her cheeks had been replaced by a gauntness and hallowed eyes. The other three always kept a very watchful eye on her which she insisted was unnecessary. Her parents were not by any means wealthy and struggled with the medical bills on top of providing for their four other children.


	6. Chapter 6

(A/N: Time skip like woah. I should probably just make this a separate fic, but I don't want to –shrug- Anyways, I'm posting this to see what you guys think. I would really love some input especially on Draco.)

Draco Malfoy was walking down the hallway when he first heard it. The halls or Malfoy Manor had been frequently filled with the screams of torture. His pace picked up and he cautiously entered his father's office. Belatrix Lestange's twisted figure hovering over her pray. He instantly recognized the dark hair and figure of the victim. Her hair was ragged and matted with blood. Her glazed eyes turned to stare at him.

"Dracooooo" Belatrix cooed. "You go to school with this little blood traitor, don't you?" With a flick of her wand the girl was thrown across the room into a cabinet. Glass flew everywhere and the girl crumpled pitifully in the rubble.

"What's going on here?" Todd Blaire bellowed striding into the room. His son was close behind. He looked at his step-daughter's blood body with little interest. "What happened here?" he asked looking toward Bellatrix who was slowly making her way toward the collapsed girl.

"I found her snnneaking around." She paused and made her way over the broken glass and wood. "I thought I'd teach the little rabbit a lesson."

Ash slowly opened her eyes and watched the woman approach. Liam tried to get his step-father's attention but was immediately quieted. Bellatrix smirked and turned toward the girls brother. "Boy, come here. Come here and prove your loyalty for the Dark Lord," Liam's eyes darkened as he stepped forward. Bellatrix cackled. "Your son…seems to have more promise than the dear little Draco…"  
Then she let out a horrible scream as her knees collapsed under her and a bloody hand grabbed her wand while the other ripped out her hair. Ash stood over Bellatrix, her own wand now aimed at her neck.

"Put the wand down." Todd hissed taking a step toward Ash, who only pressed the wand harder into her captive's neck.

"Ash…" Liam said quietly and cautiously taking a step forward. "Father please leave…" He asked, not breaking eye contact with his sister.

"Excuse m-"  
"Go." Liam said with a hint of a threat lacing his tone, despite his young age. With a grunt the older man exited the room. Bellatrix cackled quietly.

"Shove it." Ash snapped yanking on the woman's wild hair.

"Let her go." Liam took another step closer. Ash took a step back, pulling Bellatrix with her. "I'm not going to hurt you. Let her go…" He held his hands up showing that he was unarmed. "If you want to get out of here alive, you need to listen to me." He was slowly coming closer. Ash opened her mouth to argue but closed it again without a word. Slowly she let go of Bellatrix, before quickly backing away from the woman. Bellatrix stood and turned towards Ash with her hand outstretched.

"I'll be having my wand back little rabbit."  
"Bellatrix get out." Liam said pushing past her.

"Don't tell—"  
"OUT" Liam bellowed causing her to jump a bit. With a sneer and a slam of the door she left.

"What were you doing?" Liam whispered.

Ash let out a bark like laugh, "So you're calling him father now, are you?"

But he ignored her question just as she'd ignored his.

"Give me the wand." He slowly held out his hand toward her. Her eyes shifted nervously towards him and then to Draco who was standing by silently. With a sudden movement that made both of the boys jump she tossed up the wand and caught it by the tip. She placed the handle of the wand in Liam's outstretched palm. He took the wand and passed it to Draco. "Answer my question." Liam's tone dropped dangerously low now that she was unarmed. A look of defiance appeared on her face.

"What are you going to do little brother? Hex me," she said mockingly. He raised his hand to hit her. Draco stepped forward to intervene but Liam just as suddenly lowered his hand. There was a moment where no one moved. Liam broke the spell and went to put a hand on his sister but suddenly her eyes rolled back and she collapsed. He barely managed to catch her.

"Draco." He called as he tried to pick her up without dropping her. Draco grabbed her shoulder and helped Liam to bring her over to the couch.

"Go get Snape." Liam ordered the other boy while trying to close the wounds on his bleeding sister.

Ashlynn woke up the next day. When her eyes finally opened she was shocked to see Draco sitting next to her. He was leaning up against the backboard reading something. Without drawing attention to herself she shifted slightly to see what he was reading. The Daily Prophet. She was unable to read any of the headlines because he had closed the paper and was turning toward her. Unsure of what had transpired since she had passed out she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. As far as she could tell all of her limbs were still attached and the dark olive colored room was a far reach from the dungeon she had imagined ending up in after fighting with Bellatrix. Her ruse of being asleep was quickly broken when she felt a cold hand brushing the hair away from her face. She nearly jumped out of her skin and her eyes shot open. She looked up at Draco who seemed to be in about as much shock as she was. He quickly drew his hand back but to her surprise remained sitting next to her. She took the prolonged moment of awkwardness to glance around the room. No Bellatrix LaStrange. Doubting Malfoy was a threat she attempted to sit up. Her limbs felt like lead. For a moment she began to panic and when she tried to sit up again she felt a pair of strong hands help her up.

"Bloody hell." She moaned clutching her head as the blood ran to it. Despite the head rush she did not fail to notice his hands still supporting her. Once her head stopped spinning she put her hand back down. Her face reddened as his hand remained on her. She avoided eye contact and finally he let go.

"Here drink some water." He said taking a glass off the nightstand and placing it in her hands.

"How long have I been out?" she asked once she had passed him back the water.  
"A little over a day…you lost a lot of blood…Snape also said you weren't in the best shape to begin with."  
"Well that's one way to put it." She said with an unladylike snort. Draco looked at her inquiringly but no explanation came. She closed her eyes and winced in pain. Before Draco could do anything Liam quietly came into the room.

"She's awake?" he asked standing in shock.

"From the looks of it yes," Draco responded with a small chuckle.  
"What did you think you were doing getting into a fight with her," Liam demanded in a low voice. Ash looked over to her younger brother, who suddenly seemed much older due to the lines of worry that creased his face.

"Difference of opinion," Ash replied with a sardonic smile. Two days ago Ashlynn's mother and step-father had dragged her back to their home when she had helped her muggle born friend escape a pair of Death Eaters. Why they had brought her back she didn't know, she'd declared her alliances a year ago when she'd runaway to live with her aunt and her muggle husband.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Ashlynn. You need to be careful or you're going to get yourself killed." Ash glanced over to Draco who made no move to leave the room despite the personal conversation that had begun between her and her brother.

"What do you care anyways," she glared defiantly at her brother, who she'd repeated tried to convince to runaway with her. "Why am I even here? I thought you all disowned me anyways."  
"Because Mum still cares about you, you idiot. She's trying to protect you, but with the way you're acting you might as well spit in her face."

Ash felt the limited energy she had disappear as her head began to throb. "Liam bugger off," she said struggling to keep her voice steady. Her brother growled with anger before slamming the door behind him. "Why are you here," she asked as she leaned her head against the backboard. She saw Draco's pale face flush.  
"It's quiet here," he said after a moment as he stared at the wall in front of him. Even if he didn't meet her searching gaze his face was easy to read. It was then that she felt that she understood him, if only a little. He like her brother had been dragged into a war by his parents, and remained because he couldn't bring himself to abandon his family. She on the other hand had left her family rather than follow a madman. He slid off the bed and left the room without another word.

For the next week Ashlynn only left the room in the early hours of the day when people were least likely to be wandering the house. Her mother had attempted to visit her but their conversation quickly erupted into a shouting match that ended with her mother running from the room in tears. Liam came to see her in her self enforced isolation almost every day. At first they argued, trying to convince the other to change their allegiance, but Ash finally banned the subject and they spent most of their time playing wizarding chess in a comfortable silence. Every time he left the room she told him to be careful.

The next time she saw Draco was in the dead of night when he burst into the room and slid down to the ground, leaning against the closed door. She stared at him from her seat on the window sill. He'd apparently forgotten she was there as he began to shake with muffled sobs. When she cleared her throat he gave a startled jump and stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. They stared at one another for what felt like ages before he jumped up and turned to open the door.  
"Draco." She had no idea of what to say. When they were young she would laugh at him whenever he'd cried but that had been years ago. She'd realized that he was scared when she'd woken up next to him a week ago but it was hard to reconcile the ever confident and smirking Draco from school with the horrified boy now in the room with her. His hand rested on the door knob but he didn't make a move to turn it. Cautiously, she walked over to him and placed her hand on his arm. She could feel him shaking. She wanted to comfort him, but another part of him felt that he deserved to be scared and miserable and that that was his punishment for choosing to side with Voldemort, but she couldn't just write him off like that, not when her brother was doing the same thing. And not when he'd once been her friend. She had to believe there was some hope of redemption for him and for Liam. "Draco," her voice cracked as she pulled him to face her. She brushed a tear on his face away. She pulled him forward and wrapped her arms around him as he buried his face into her shoulder. Silent sobs wracked his body and his knees gave out, with a small grunt she supported him and lowered the two of them to the floor where his sobs slowly quieted. She ran one hand through his hair, in an effort to comfort him. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that when they were both shaken from the spell when Lucius's voice carried into the room, calling for Draco. He tensed before sitting up and wiping his damp face with the back of his hand. Ash stood and grabbed under one of his arms to help him get up. Lucius called him again and before leaving he gave Ash a small but appreciative smile.


End file.
